Christian Bérard was a fashionable figure who worked across theories, disciplines, and techniques in Paris during the 1920s and ’30s—a versatility that made it difficult for critics of his time to classify his work or take him seriously as a fine artist. Bérard, often endearingly called “Bébé” for his child-like appearance and disposition, produced fashion and book illustrations, designs for theater sets and costumes, murals, decorative screens, textiles, scarves, and interior designs. He also painted many self-portraits and portraits of his friends—his sitters including Coco Chanel, Jean Cocteau, Cecil Beaton, and Horst P. Horst. His hallmark style is sometimes considered Neo-Romantic, with a delicate use of line and tone. In his youth, Bérard studied at the Académie Ranson, where he was influenced by classmates Édouard Vuillard and Maurice Denis.